Album Review: Serpentwithfeet 'Soil'

Experimental is not how one would expect to describe a soulful gospel singer's debut, but serpentwithfeet has managed to create a chaotically poetic collection of songs with soil.

Born Josiah Wise, serpentwithfeet began to craft his vocal style during his childhood in Baltimore, where he was briefly a choirboy, before going on to study vocal performance at university in Philadelphia - and ultimately relocating to New York.

Armed with a vocal range that could match Frank Ocean or Sampha, the singer differs from his contemporaries in his lack of regard for conventional R&B and gospel tropes.

Opening track Whisper instantly sets the unhinged tone that becomes more prevalent as the album progresses, with Wise showing off his impressive vocal range over some seriously atmospheric soundscapes. His flair for the dramatic is felt particularly in tracks like Invoice and Mourning Song, where his unorthodox time signatures and unique song structures are offset by angelic harmonies.

Lyrically, he focuses on optimistic themes, sometimes strikingly at odds with the ominous music. He signs off in style with the absolutely stunning Bless Your Heart, which boasts some beautiful piano and strings. Excellent stuff.

Out June 8, rating: 8/10